A RARE LARGE BLUE AND WHITE 'DRAGON' DISH MARK AND PERIOD OF YONGZHENG

the wide vessel with curved sides rising to a flat everted rim, the interior painted in deep underglaze-blue with a large central roundel enclosing a writhing five-clawed dragon confronting the viewer head-on, clasping between its two front claws a shou medallion, surrounded by scrolling clouds and flames, the deep cavetto with four smaller dragons striding among clouds and flames, all below the band of cresting waves on the rim, the exterior painted with elaborate waves breaking against five rockwork mountains, all atop a short foot, the recessed base with a six-character mark within a double-circle

Mathias Komor, New York.
Acquired from the above by the collects ion of Evelyn Annenberg Hall, December 1964.
Christie's New York, 29th March 2006, lot 131.
Acquired from the above by S. Marchant & Son, London.
Acquired by the present owner from the above, March 2007.

Recent Acquisitions 2007, S. Marchant & Son, London, 2007, fig. 5, pp. 14-15.

The rim of the dish is slightly warped. There is a shallow flake to the rim of approx 1.4 by 0.5cm which has been restuck, and a tiny nick of approx 0.25cm to the outer rim. Otherwise the dish is in very good condition overall. There is minor scattered kiln grit to the interior.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any stat.mes nt made by Replica Shoes 's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

This present example is rare for its idiosyncratic depiction of the shou medallion. In comparable works, the dragon is rendered in a similar manner -- head-on and writhing within the roundel. However, this one is notable for the way in which the dragon's three-clawed arms are tightly gripping the shou character. In the other works mentioned below, the character floats freely between the five-clawed arms.

Compare a similar dish, formerly in The T.Y. Chao Private and Family Trust collects ions, sold in these rooms, 18th November 1986, lot 80. It was included in the exhibition of Ch'ing Porcelain from the Wah Kwong collects ion, Chinese University of Hong Kong, 1973, cat.no. 61, and was also exhibited in Ming and Ch'ing Porcelain from The T.Y. Chao Family Foundation, Hong Kong Museum of Art, 1978, cat.no. 81. Another early 18th century dish of this design in the Royal Ontario Museum is illustrated in J.E. Vollmer, E.J. Keall and E. Nagai-Berthrong, Silk Roads - China Ships, The Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto, 1983, cat.p. 229.

Four similar vessels of the same size have also been sold in these rooms: 2nd November 1998, lot 389; 1st November 1999, lot 380; 21st May 1985, lot 127; and 23rd May 1978, lot 117. Another was sold in our London rooms, 9th July 1974, lot 302.